Thank you. I'm not.
Replacement Cylinder for 25-5
- Thread starter BSA1
- Start date
Thank you. I'm not.
Thank you very much for answering my question.
Best method in my opinion is to have a 44 mag cylinder reamed to 45 colt. As someone stated the 357 cylinders are to short. 41 mag cylinders are kind of hard to come by, 44 Mag cylinders are easy to come by and less work.
I use a 2 reamer process, my first reamer has a .429 pilot and reams the throat from .429-.430 to .452. Then I use a 45 colt reamer with a .452 pilot to take the actual chamber portion to 45 colt.
These pictures are of a K22 cylinder becoming a 327 mag cylinder, but a 44 to 45 uses the same basic method.
I start by fixing the extractor in place with a stub of ejector rod.
Then set up the cylinder in my mill vise with brass padded jaws by aligning the chamber using a spud that is turned to just fit a 44 chamber to get a chamber perfectly aligned.
Then i use the 2 reamers turning them really slow in my mill with lots of oil and cleaning often with brake cleaner. Finish one chamber, insert a piece of 45 colt brass and then align another chamber and do it.
If you use a recessed 44 mag cylinder you can have a recessed 45 colt cylinder. Interestingly the 44 and 45 colt rims have the same OD. But, if you do that the frame lug must be filed back .060. Here is my favorite a 5" 25-5 using a reamed 44 mag cylinder. I now have 7 45 colts and only 1 has a factory cylinder.
Here is a pinned and recessed 5 screw 45 colt I made using a early HP frame and a 6" model 25 -5 barrel.
I use a 2 reamer process, my first reamer has a .429 pilot and reams the throat from .429-.430 to .452. Then I use a 45 colt reamer with a .452 pilot to take the actual chamber portion to 45 colt.
These pictures are of a K22 cylinder becoming a 327 mag cylinder, but a 44 to 45 uses the same basic method.
I start by fixing the extractor in place with a stub of ejector rod.
Then set up the cylinder in my mill vise with brass padded jaws by aligning the chamber using a spud that is turned to just fit a 44 chamber to get a chamber perfectly aligned.
Then i use the 2 reamers turning them really slow in my mill with lots of oil and cleaning often with brake cleaner. Finish one chamber, insert a piece of 45 colt brass and then align another chamber and do it.
If you use a recessed 44 mag cylinder you can have a recessed 45 colt cylinder. Interestingly the 44 and 45 colt rims have the same OD. But, if you do that the frame lug must be filed back .060. Here is my favorite a 5" 25-5 using a reamed 44 mag cylinder. I now have 7 45 colts and only 1 has a factory cylinder.
Here is a pinned and recessed 5 screw 45 colt I made using a early HP frame and a 6" model 25 -5 barrel.
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StrawHat
Member
steelslaver,
I had not thought about 41 and 44 Magnums having recessed chambers. I am guessing for your comments that modern 44 Magnum cylinders are no longer recessed? (My Model 29's are pinned and recessed 1980 - early 1990's). Can I use a modern non-recessed 44 Magnum cylinder in a revolver this old?
I had not thought about 41 and 44 Magnums having recessed chambers. I am guessing for your comments that modern 44 Magnum cylinders are no longer recessed? (My Model 29's are pinned and recessed 1980 - early 1990's). Can I use a modern non-recessed 44 Magnum cylinder in a revolver this old?
StrawHat
Member
Good question.
I am not Steelslaver, nor will I answer for him, but in my experience, yes.
Kevin
Yes the newer non recessed cylinders will work in an older gun. While the overall shape of the teeth on the ratchet changed the surface and location of the portion engaged by the hand did not. I have played mix and match over serveral eras with K, and N frames
Here is a highly modified 1917 frame that has a modern 44 mag cylinder reamed to 45 colt
Here is a highly modified 1917 frame that has a modern 44 mag cylinder reamed to 45 colt
Yes the newer non recessed cylinders will work in an older gun. While the overall shape of the teeth on the ratchet changed the surface and location of the portion engaged by the hand did not. I have played mix and match over serveral eras with K, and N frames
Here is a highly modified 1917 frame that has a modern 44 mag cylinder reamed to 45 colt
I'm going to assume you took that picture in warmer weather. I don't imagine that you went barefoot in Montana right now.
I'm going to assume you took that picture in warmer weather. I don't imagine that you went barefoot in Montana right now.
Your right, I took that last summer when I was running my blue setup. I do not like to blue inside my shop. Much better to do outside with a light breeze.
But, I tell you what, after a cold Dec with lots of snow, this has been about as mild of January as I have ever seen in this country. High 30s to mid 40s during the day dipping down to the high 20s or not even freezing at night. I had some 3-4 ft piles of snow from plowing my drive way and they are all just about gone now. The does and fawns that come begging for corn and alfalfa every morning when it is cold only come around about every 2 or 3 days now to hit me up for some corn.
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Yeah, it almost reached 70 F in Roanoke VA today, the nearest big city to me. We have not had more than a light dusting of snow this winter, so far.
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